West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-05-13
WHY SUPPRESS THE EVIDENCE

The Senate Committee, to inquire
into the alleged bribery Of Minear,
examined several witnesses. The
Charleston correspondent Of the
Wheeling papers reported Roger as
,estjlyiag:
purloiued a letter from Niuear's
house: I received my expenses; Nc
,5r4w gave me "a check for $50 and at
Washington let me have so more; az
the time McGraw gave me the money L
had % spell i'm C0mden's room; Camden
did not give me the money. McGraw
ALSO promised me a y. & %. pass.
McGraw printed a telegraph con
tradicting Roger, and it was
heralded over the State that Nc
Graw would testify and clear up the
transaction. Not one word more was
published and we waited for the Of
fetal report of the testimony that we
might ascertain the truth, but in
stead Of reporting the testimony we
only find in the Senate Journal Of
the 18th the following:
ON motion OF Mr.. Sommerville,
Re>ofysI, That the StenOgrapher tram
scribe the testi uOnv and file 10 together
with an other evidence in said inVesu-
CATION with the clerk of the Senate.
Why this very unusual course?
According to the usual practice,this
testimony would be printed in the
Journal. Taxpayers paid the cost
of taking this testimony, and it
ought to be published
In their report, the majority of
the Committee, (Sommervillc and
Fiournoy,) simply say:
..Thcv examined all the witnesses pro-
duced, several others were summoned
but did not appear and are OF opinion
chat the charge referred Co Is not SuS-
tanned bv the evidence, as 90 Minear or
tu any other member of the senate
We can we'll understand that,hav-
inc ended the struggle for Senator,
Mr.. Flournoy wa, reluctant to give
further publicity to this scandaLbut
it was q mistake not to publish all
the testimony in the Journal; our
party is strongest, when there is no
suspicion of coucealment from the
people. No man in this State is bet
ter entitled to public confidence than
Flournoy, and we feel very sure, if
his mind had not been engrossed
with other matters, he would have
insisted upon giving all the facts to
the people.
1t seems that the charge "was not
sustained as to- Minear or to any
other Senator but was it sustained
as TO members of the House: We
might form an opinion, were the
evidence published.
The minority of the committee
(Mr. Dawsonl reports;
I agree with the majority, that the
charge as 90 Minear is not sustained, Vet
/ must say that the evidence of senator
Morrison shows there was an uuSucceSS-
tul attempt Co influence his vote for SEN
ator. The investigation was very unSat-
i~iuct0ry. The committee was delayed
hv NiuearS absence and did hot meet
until the 3Oth; another session was held
May 2nd and 10 did not meet again until
last night, MAY 9TH. other business
occupied the members and prevented
that continuous manner necessary i'm
matter of this kind. Five witnesses who
were summoned, failed 20 attend.
1t will be recollccted, the resolu-
ton, authorizing the investigation,
was so worded as to exclude inquiry
except rs to Minear, and Roger made
the point that he could not be eX.
amiued as to members of the House.
Concealmcnt from the people is
seldom profitable to politician $; it
may win for "a time, but not in the
long run This scandal leaves a
stencil, that may yet give trouble.
The Senate Journal the 9th con-
tains this amendment of the appro-
priation bill;
500 TO pay the expenses of the Com
mittee 20 Investigate the charges Of bril-
berry.
This appropriation having passed,
on the next day Sommerville moved
10 file the testimony with the clerk, "
instead of publishing it in the Jour
nal
Since taxpayers meet the bill, it
would be more satisfactory to let
them see the evidence.
The average price of wheat in